Early in my career I had an experience with both small children and puppies while producing a television commercial for a newly branded dog food. Chaos ensued for three hours during the session. After a pounding headache I vowed that would be the last time I worked with kids or pets. Boy was I wrong. It turned out to be an amazing, emotionally engaged “awwwww” commercial that drew lots of attention and successfully launched a new brand into the market.
Ok, so I’m not right all the time … this was a lesson learned and I’m glad it happened early in my foray into advertising. And it just so happens, last night I listened to an episode in “Masterclass” of the well-known Goodby/Silverstein agency owners (“Got Milk”) and their advice as to the holy grail of advertising was to use “babies and puppies” in messaging. Not saying I put myself in the same category as the ad gurus, but hey, I’ll take it.
So, why is this a successful strategy?
According to a study by the University of Oxford Department of Psychiatry, seeing images of babies activated the frontal lobe of the brain that identifies with emotion. In 2015 the launch of a new Johnson & Johnson baby wash product was the highest scoring commercial for the company. Gerber is an obvious brand to use babies. But what about E-Trade? Remember the talking baby giving financial advice? Hilarious. Watch the commercials here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwRg8ovPekI
Puppies? Remember the Superbowl commercial using a puppy (and Clydesdales) to sell beer? Brilliant, and the brand was never spoken, just a :03 second logo tag at the end. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hck3cXzg4_M
During these difficult times of Covid, everyone is searching for uplifting moments. Now is a good time to use the “feel good” strategy to reach out to your target audience. A recent study showed response rates were dramatically improved by using babies or cute animals. Animals elicited a 42% increased response while using babies increased by a whopping 88%.
Kids and pets don’t always cooperate as scripted when the camera is rolling, but then, that’s the beauty of letting the scene unfold. Sometimes the best inspiration is one of improvisation where you can tailor your message and timing to the moment. The key to having this concept work is to ensure the cuteness doesn’t distract from your product or message. That’s where a pro can help you determine the fine line between strategic message and distraction. Need help with your messaging? Contact us for a free 30-minute consultation.
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